This invention relates to board games.
Checkers (also known as draughts) is a well-known board game for two players, employing a checkers board and twelve pieces for each player, in which each player moves his pieces in such a way that he attempts to jump over and capture his opponent's pieces.
Checkers is relatively limited, because:
(1). Only two people can play at any one time. PA1 (2). The configuration of the board together with the constraints on types of movement of pieces provide relatively few alternative moves at any turn. PA1 (3). The combination of (1) and (2) results ln relatively predictable events from one game to another. PA1 (1). Allowing for 2,3 or 4 players. PA1 (2). Providing a greater number of alternative moves, to offer greater scope for decision-making, strategy and skill. PA1 (3). Providing the potential for events on the board to be more varied and less predictable. PA1 (a) a game board having a playing configuration provided on the surface of the board, the playing configuration comprising a hexagon subdivided into a tessellated arrangement of equilateral triangles which alternate in type along the entire length of all rows thereof, the edges of each triangle being parallel to two opposed edges of said hexagon, the number of either type of said triangles contiguous with each edge of said hexagon being at least four; and PA1 (b) two to four sets of playing pieces, each set comprising at least seven said pieces.
Board games of the checkers type with a hexagonal playing surface are known. For example, British patent specification 3214/1902 discloses a game board having an irregular hexagonal board which comprises a tessellated arrangement of triangles, enabling two or more players to play. U.S. Pat. No. 3533627 discloses a game with a similar irregular hexagonal board enabling two or three players to play checkers together.
U.S. Pat. No. 384195 discloses a game board with a regular hexagonal board, which is subdivided into a tessellated arrangement of triangles., the triangles are arranged in a specific manner, with all the triangles with bases on the periphery of the hexagon being of the same dark colour.
These games with hexagonal boards have several disadvantages, as follows: In some cases geometrical arrangement of the tessellated triangle patterns leads to inherent biasing of the game ln favour of players starting the game at particular locations on the board., and none of the above configurations show any possible way ln which four players could contest a checkers-like game on equal terms. There are furthermore, only a limited number of arrangements of playing pieces which can be employed for a two-player game, and the board is bulky and usable on one face only.